Gas and liquid separating apparatus



Feb. 9, 1932. H..P. PINKHAM GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATING Prunus 2- Sheets-Sheet l Fimix'sept... 1. 1927 Feb. 9, 1932. H. P. PINKHAM GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATING APPARATUS 2 sneetssneet 2 Filed Sept. l. 1927 i IN2/971702? HJM? e PwwM-f Y yf] Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY P. PINKHAM, OFYWOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CONDIT ELEC- TRICAL MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION F MASSACHUSETTS GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATIN G APPARATUS Application led September 1, 1927. Serial No. 216,877.

gas expelled from an oil switch upon circuit interruption. p

An oil separator for an oil immersed electric switch presents several problems not ordinarily encountered in gas and liquid separator design. The oil expelled from the 0 switch along with the gases must berestored to the switch casing as otherwise there would result a dangerous loss of head of oil above the separable contact members of the switch. For convenience, oil should be returned to the 5 switch casing from the separator through the vent pipe. At present, it is considered desirable to restrict the outlet passage of the switch in order to permit the arc gases to rise through the slug or piston of oil above them, so as to minimize the amount of oil expelled through the vent passage. y The oil separator should have a gas outlet which directs the gases downwardly toward the ground so as to keep the hot arc gases away from the vicinity of the switch terminals and thus to reduce the possibility of flash-over between the terminals which sometimes results when the switch gases are discharged from the switch about A the terminals. The oil separator is adapted to be carried by the switch casing or its supporting frame and in a position adjacent the top of the casing and should not progect appreciably above the top of the casing in a way to decrease the flash-over distance between the switch terminals and a grounded part of the switch.

An oil and gas separator embodying the above considerations constitutes one of the objects of this invention.

A further object of the invention is generally to improve the construction and operation of gas and liquid separators.

Fig. l is a side elevation of a high tension electric switch provided with oil separators embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an lenlarged side elevation partly in section of the oil separator shownin Figs.

- 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the oil separator of Fig. 3 with the cover removed.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevation of the discharge valve shown in Fig. 3.

The oil separator 1() embodying this invention and shown generally in Figs. l and 2 comprises a cylindrical casing having the bottom wall 12 and the annular side wall 14 and open at the top, Figs. 3 and 4. The side wall is provided at the bottom with a radially extended boss 16 having an internal passage 18 therein which is internally screw threaded to receive the vent pipe 20 through which oil and gas pass from the switch casing into the interior of the separator casing. The side wall 14 of the casing is provided at the bottom with an aperture 22 therein which communicates with the passage 18 in the boss 16 and consequently with the pipe 20. A check valve 24 of the clapper type is pivoted on a stud 26 carried by the side wall 14 to overlie said aperture 20. Said valve is provided with a smaller passage 28 therein. The arrangement of the valve is such that the pressure of the gas and liquid acting thereon from the pipe 20 holds the valve in covering relation with the aperture 22 and Lconsequently permits gas and liquid to iiow into the separator casing only through the reduced passage 28 and thus serves to build up some pressure within the switch casing for the purpose of permitting the arc gases to break through the oil above them without forcing the oil as a large concrete mass ahead of the gases into the oil separator. The bottom wall 12 is integrally provided with an axially disposed upstanding tube 30 which has a gas venting passage 32 therein. Said tube is higher than the top of the outer wall 14 so that gases can pass into the top of the tube practically without entraining oil therein even though the casing is practically filled with oil. A -valve cage 34 is secured by screws 36 upon the top of the tube 30 and has a valve 38 therein. A spring 40 is adapted to hold the valve closed until some desirable pressure, as say ten pounds per square inch, is built up within the casingand then to open and allow the gases to vent therethrough into the tube 30. Y

vThe vent pipe 42 is screw threaded into the lower end of said tube in communication with the passage therein and said vent pipe is downwardly extended to a substantial distance below the separator casing to carry oli the vented switch gases downwardly and away from the switch terminals.

The casing is provided with an integral upstanding wall or vane 44 which is arranged in a spiral manner within the casing from the entrance 22 thereof, where it isintegral with the outer wall 14, to the central tube 30 where it is integral therewith and has a height coextensive with that of th(` outer wall 14. Said vane 44 serves to direct the incoming mixture of gas and air to fiow along the inner face of the wall 14 and in a spiral manner inwardly toward the tube 30. Inasmuch as the oil particles heavier than the gas particles the oil tends to move along the inner face of the wall 14 above and over the bottom wall 12 while the gas separates therefrom and occupies the casing above the oil.

The expanding passage a formed by the spiral vent 44 and the casing wall 14 reduces the velocity of the gas of the mixture' without materially affecting the velocity of the oil particles whereby to assist the separation of the oil and gas. The provision of the valve 38 in maintaining some elevated pressure within the casing also serves to reduce the velocity of the gas without appreciabl-y affecting the momentum of the oil, thus also to effect separation of the two. The oil collects in the inner portion b of thev passage provided by the spiral vent 44 and the vane prevents the oil from passing across the inlet aperture 22. This device is eliective in preventing the discharge of particles Vof oil having any material mass from the discharge until the casing is about full of oil.

The open top of the separator is closed by the cover 46 which is bolted detachably to the casing by the bolts 48. The cover also bears upon the top of the vane 44 and thus revents the passage of gas over the top thereof. 'The cover 46 is provided with a dome 50 in which the upper part of the tube 30 andthe valve cage 34 are received.

The separator is adapted to be located adjacent the casing of the electric switch and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is located between the casings 52 of a multi-phase switching apparatus supported on the frame 54. The separatoris also supported by said frame and to this end the bottom wall.- 12 of the casing is provided with lugs 56 to which are attached supporting feet 58 vwhich are lsecured to theV frame 54. The vent pipe 2O extends from theseparator casing at a. slight inclinationdownward to the top of the-switch casing and, is in 'communication with the mechanism well'62 thereof. The vent pipe 42 is extended downwardly between the'casings so that the switch gases are vented downwardly and away from the switch terminals 64.

After the arc gases have been vented from the switch, the separated oil runs back from the separator casing into the switch casing through the passage 22 and the vent pipe 20. The check valve 24 is arranged to open and permit the ready return of the separated oil thus immediately to restore the oil level in the switch toits normal-height and condition the switch for further operation.

I claim:

1.l An oil separator comprising a cylindrical casing openv at the top and having an entrance for the mixture of oil and gases at the bottom portion thereof through the side wall, a vertically disposed exit tube upstanding in the middle of the casing and terminated above the top of the side wall thereof,A means including a vertically disposed vane coeXtensive in height with the side wall of said casing to guide the mixture of oil and gas in a spiral path within said casing between the entrance and exit tube, and a cover for the open top of the casing seated on said vane having a dome therein in which the top of the exit tube is located.

2. An oil separator comprising a cylindrical casing having an upstanding cylindrical side wall and open at the top and having an entrance for the mixture of oil and gas in the bottom portion of the casing through said side wall, an upstanding exit tube disposed in the middle of said casing and having au open top terminated above the top of said side wall, a guide vane disposed within said` casing coextensive with said side wall and extended in a spiral manner between said entrance and said exit to, and a cover for the open top of said casing seated on said vane and constituting a. cover for the passage be tween said spiral vane and the cylindrical Wall of said casing, said cover having an upstanding dome therein in which the top of said exit tube is located and the side walls of said dome being spaced from the side walls of said tube to provide communication between said tube and the interior of the casing.

3. An oil separator comprising a cylindrical casing having an upstanding cylindrical side wally and open at the top and having an entrance for the mixture of oil and gasA in the bottom port-ion of the casing through said side wall, an upstanding exit tube disposed in the middle of said casing and having an open top terminated above the top of said side wall, a guide vane disposed within said casing and extended in a spiral manner between said entrance and said exit tube and a cover for the open top of'said'casing also constituting a cover Jfor the passage between saidv spiral vane and the cylindricalwall o said easing, said cover having a dometherein in which the top of said exit tube is located and the side walls of said dome being spaced from the side walls of said tube to provide communication between the interior of the casing, and said tube having an exit valve arranged at the upper end thereof and located in said dome.

1l. An oil separator comprising a separating casing having an inlet in the bottom portion thereof for the mixture of oil and gas and a gas outlet from said casing in the upper portion thereof, means providing a closed spiral pat-h betwen said inlet and outlet, and a loaded valve normally closing said outlet and adapted to open when the pressure within said casing exceeds a predetermined amount.

5. An oil separator comprising a separating casing having an inlet for the mixture of oil and gas and a gas outlet from said casing, anda loaded valve normally closing said outlet and adapted to open when the pressure within said casing exceeds a predetermined amount, said casing also having a valve at said inlet which is arranged to open to permit the escape of separated oil from said casing through said entrance.

6. An oil separator comprising a casing having a bottom wall and an upstanding side wall provided with an inlet for combined oil and gas, which inlet rises from said bottom wall so that separated oil in the casing can i'low outwardly thereof, a check valve closing said inlet to inflowing gas and oi'l having a small opening therethrough which admits gas and oil into the casing, said valve opening freely to outflowing separated oil, and an outlet conduit for separated Gas upstanding above the middle of said tbottom wall and having an opening only in the top portion of said casing above said inlet.

7. An oil separator comprising a casing having a bottom wall and an upstandin side wall provided with an inlet for com ined oil and gas, which inlet rises from said bottom wall so that separated oil in the casing can flow outwardly thereof, a check valve closing said inlet to inlowing gas and oil having a small opening therethrough which admits gas and oil into the casing, said valve opening freely to outflowing separated oil, an outlet conduit for separated gas upstanding above the middle of said bottom wall and having an opening only in the top portion of said casing above said inlet, and means providing a spiral conduit extended between said inlet and outlet in the bottom of which separated oil can collect, said conduit having an outlet above said inlet and lnder the outlet opening of said outlet conuit.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY P. PINKHAM. 

